BACKGROUND: Defective copper regulation, primarily referred to as chelatable redox active Cu(II), has been involved in the etiology of diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

OBJECTIVES: However, no study has determined levels of labile copper non-bound to ceruloplasmin (non-Cp Cu, also known as 'free' copper) in the blood of subjects with diabetes compared with that of AD patients.

METHODS: To this aim, values of non-Cp Cu were measured in 25 Type 1 (T1D) and 31 Type 2 (T2D) subjects and in28 healthy controls, along with measurements of C-reactive protein, glycated hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Non-Cp Cu levels were compared with those of an AD group previously studied.

RESULTS: T2D subjects had significantly higher non-Cp Cu levels than Controls and T1D subjects (both p 

CONCLUSION: These results suggest the involvement of catalytically-active Cu(II) and glucose dysregulation in oxidative stress reactions leading to tissue damage in both diseases.